EU4Health is the fourth European Union health programme, running from 2021-2027. It forms both the EU's ambitious health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the EUs overall health challenges.

The programme focuses on the following objectives:

• Improve and foster health in the Union
• Protect people in the Union from serious cross-border threats to health
• Enhance the availability, accessibility and affordability of medicinal products, medical devices and crisis-relevant products Strengthening health systems resilience and resource efficiency

The Work Programme 2021 is specifically dedicated to cancer.

The call covers the following topics:

· EU4H-2021-PJ-01 - Action grants on collection tasks in relation to updating the European Cancer Information System to monitor and assess cancer screening programmes

· EU4H-2021-PJ-02 - Action grants for inter-speciality cancer training programme

 · EU4H-2021-PJ-03 - Action grants for a project quality and safety of radiation technology in diagnosis and treatment of cancer

· EU4H-2021-PJ-04 - Action grants for the EU Network of Youth Cancer Survivors

· EU4H-2021-PJ-05 - Action grants on substances of human origin (SoHO) - increase resilience, ensure continuity of supply and access to safe and high quality therapies, in particular in times of crisis

EU4H-2021-PJ-01 - Action grants on collection tasks in relation to updating the European Cancer Information System to monitor and assess cancer screening programmes

A - Background and policy context

The European Cancer Information System (ECIS) managed by the Joint Research Centre provides the latest information on indicators that quantify cancer burden across Europe. It permits the exploration of geographical patterns and temporal trends of incidence, mortality and survival data across Europe for the major cancer entities.

B - Objectives pursued

This action supports the linking of data provided by the cancer screening programmes into ECIS with a view to allowing the permanent monitoring of the screening programmes, including the performance indicators.

The action will consist in the collection of data from entities in the Member States that are responsible for collecting data on cancer screening, in order to provide this data to ECIS, and develop a piloting of the new ECIS functionality as well as a new separate section to ensure a permanent collection and monitoring of the coverage and performance indicators of population-based cancer screening across the Union.

C - Description of the activities to be funded under this topic

1. Preparatory work through meetings (5) and workshops (5) to create a platform in which data and indicators on population-based cancer screening programmes are collected, collated and further assessed under the European Cancer Information System.

2. Actions to support the first piloting of the platform developed under point 1, including collection of available datasets.

More information here.

EU4H-2021-PJ-02 - Action grants for inter-speciality cancer training programme

A - Background and policy context

An objective of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan is to build a stronger multidisciplinary cancer workforce. An 'inter-speciality cancer training programme' will be launched to help deliver a more skilled and mobile cancer workforce through cross-border training and information-sharing.

B - Objectives pursued

The aim of this action is to update the skills of healthcare professionals and foster the development of a high-quality workforce.

This action will develop an inter-speciality cancer training programme focused on clinical oncology, surgery and radiology specialities, including their nursing services, as well as on patients' quality of life and well-being, including mental, psychosocial and nutritional support, along with patient empowerment.

D - Expected results and impact

The establishment of an inter-speciality cancer training programme is expected to result in the upskilling and re-skilling of healthcare professionals in the areas of clinical oncology, surgery and radiology, and related nursing services.

This action will help the Member States to improve cooperation among their cancer services, by addressing skills gaps and better equipping the health workforce with personnel trained in cancer care.

More information here.

EU4H-2021-PJ-03 - Action grants for a project quality and safety of radiation technology in diagnosis and treatment of cancer

A - Background and policy context

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan will seek to ensure that people in the Union have the right to access affordable, preventive and curative healthcare of good quality, as called for under the European Pillar of Social Rights.

B - Objectives pursued

The aim of the action is to enhance the quality and safety and optimise radiation technology in medicine.

C - Description of the activities to be funded under this topic

Applicants shall target their proposal to one or more of the action strands (a, b, c) described below and indicate that clearly in the proposal.

(a) Quality and safety of medical radiation applications

(b) Workforce education and training

(c) Equal access to modern medical radiation technology and interventions

D - Expected results and impact

The action will contribute to improve the quality and safety of medical radiation applications, the standards of the workforce in the radio-nuclear medical sector through education and training, and it will facilitate a more equal access to modern medical radiation technology and interventions.

More information here.

EU4H-2021-PJ-04 - Action grants for the EU Network of Youth Cancer Survivors

A - Background and policy context

In 2020, over 15 500 children and adolescents were diagnosed with cancer, with over 2 000 young patients losing their lives to it. In fact, cancer is the principal cause of death by disease in children beyond the age of one. Up to 30% of children affected by cancer suffer severe long-term consequences. The number of childhood cancer survivors continues to grow and comprehensive care, treatment and follow-up are essential.

B - Objectives pursued

The action will improve the quality of life of children and young adult cancer survivors through improved social networking and the use of a platform to improve the links amongst individuals, patients, cancer survivors, and social and health professionals active in cancer prevention and care across the Union.

The action has the ambition of establishing the new 'EU Network of Youth Cancer Survivors' through federating the mentioned bodies to create a Union-wide platform to support the promotion of targeted actions and initiatives. The activities will be designed taking into account those key factors that may influence childhood cancer survivors' participation in social networking and programmes tailored to their needs, such as the resources accessed by individuals through a broad range of social connections ('social capitals of individuals'), social support, family interaction, self-efficacy and self-reported quality of life.

More information here.

EU4H-2021-PJ-05 - Action grants on substances of human origin (SoHO) - increase resilience, ensure continuity of supply and access to safe and high quality therapies, in particular in times of crisis

A - Background and policy context

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly tested the resilience of blood and transplant systems and has strongly reduced supply, availability, use and access to these therapies.

There is a need to improve resilience, ensure the continuity of supply, increase access, safety and quality of therapies, in particular in times of infectious disease outbreaks.

B - Objectives pursued

This action aims to enable the medical/professional organisations and Member State authorities in SoHO subsectors to develop and exchange good practices for professionals and authorities to optimise supply and increase access to quality and safe use of critical therapies based on substances of human origin donated by fellow citizens.

C - Description of the activities to be funded under this topic

The work will aim to identify, share, assess and refine measures and actions taken and planned to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on safety, quality and accessibility of these therapies.

The specific sub-sectors that will be supported include in particular:

• blood and blood components (red blood cells, plasma);
• organs (e.g. kidneys, liver, heart);
• haematopoietic stem cells (bone marrow, cord blood);
• gametes and embryos (for reproductive medicine);
• tissues (corneas, heart valves).

More information here.

Elegibility:

Applicants must be legally established organisations, public authorities or public sector bodies (in particular, research and health institutions, universities and higher education establishments) in EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories linked to it (OCTs).

Applications will also be accepted from EEA countries and countries associated to the EU4Health Programme (third countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries, neighbourhood countries) or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature.

Applications to Europe4Health calls and topics must be submitted via the European Commission Funding and Tenders Portal.

More info at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/eu4h/wp-call/2021/call-fiche_eu4h-2021-pj_en.pdf

In case of interest, please contact internacional(ELIMINAR)@fsjd.org